


Lallybroch Home

by thatsoccercoach



Series: Which Door? [51]
Category: Outlander & Related Fandoms, Outlander Series - Diana Gabaldon
Genre: Friendship, Gotham's Writing Workshop, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-01
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2019-05-16 18:27:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14816561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatsoccercoach/pseuds/thatsoccercoach
Summary: They'd finally made a home for themselves, complete with family.





	Lallybroch Home

                                                      

Over the past two years they’d truly made Lallybroch their own. It had always seemed to be theirs, which made sense with the history of the place. Once belonging to Jamie’s Fraser ancestors but lost to tragedy, it had been where they’d gotten married. The second time, anyway. When it had become available to purchase, it had called out to them as if it were a homing beacon signaling the way for them to come to safety and security.

The remodeling had been no small task. Though many updates had been made while the estate had been used for events and conferences, they weren’t exactly changes that made the place feel like home but rather facilitated its use as a business. Claire and Jamie felt as if they hardly saw one another over the months that renovations had taken place. Now though, their home was the spot that the family gathered on many occasions such as the one today.

Today was a “cousin day” as Faith called them; one of those days where the Murray family came to visit the Fraser family just for the sake of spending time together. And since the weather was fair, they were spending it outdoors.

The older children, Jamie, Maggie, Faith, Kat, and Brianna were playing in the gardens near one of the old stone walls that bordered the land in some spots. Claire and Jenny sat on a blanket where Fergus and Willa were. Their primary task was to guard the snacks that the children had been eating throughout the day. The ants were ravenous and if they found crumbs, they’d invade the space in no time flat.

Willa was busy attempting to walk on the uneven ground. She was experiencing very little success and was near tears as her arms wind-milled once again and she went down on her diapered bum. She rose again only to stagger about like a drunken sailor, eventually making her way back to the blanket to fall into her mama’s lap for an encouraging cuddle.

On the edge of the blanket, Fergus longingly watched his sister in her freedom. Though he wore tiny sandals on his feet, he didn’t care for the feel of the blades of grass touching him and he wouldn’t risk a fall in it by walking out there. Faith had walked back and forth with both his hands clutched in hers for quite a while earlier, but though she thrived on nurturing her younger siblings, she adored her cousins as well and wanted to play with them. So there Fergus sat.

“Auntie Claire?” Maggie came stumbling out of the underbrush, calling out to her. “Can we eat these too?” The children had found berries and apples growing and were eager to try everything they could. Faith was adept at identifying which could be eaten, but she also knew to ask an adult before eating anything that grew around their property.

Claire held out her hand for the fruit, already knowing where it came from before she held it. “Yes, you all could eat these. Just pick the ones that come off the tree easily. If you need to pull too terribly hard, they’re not ready for you yet.”

With that Maggie ran back to her cousins.

“They’ll never want to come in for dinner,” Claire’s laughter pealed out. “Ian and Jamie will be back at the house, starving and we’ll be out here with the children, grazing!”

“Och, who cares really?” Jenny shot back. “They’re grown men. They ought to be able to make themselves sandwiches or some such thing,” she smirked. “We both know they won’t though.”

“No, they’ll be out here asking us what’s for dinner,” she scoffed playfully.

“Helpless as bairns, those two,” Jenny trailed off.

The silence lasted barely a second before Claire pounced. “About that, bairns I mean…”

“Fine then!” the laughter spilled from Jenny. “Spoil my surprise, why don’t you?”

“Oh, I _knew it!_ Well, Willa and Fergus have been waiting for a cousin their own age!” she teased. “Oh, tell me, how far along are you? When are you due?”

The grin that split Claire’s face and the joy that lit it absolutely warmed Jenny’s heart. It wasn’t that she and Claire hadn’t gotten along in the beginning. It was merely that neither one had figured out how to have a sister. They’d both been thoroughly independent women, used to relying on nobody but themselves. Once they’d become family, it still had taken time before they truly were close. Now it was a bond unlike Jenny had ever known. She didn’t have words to describe it and, honestly, she didn’t want to limit what they had by using words to quantify it.

“I just confirmed it for myself this morning. Havena even told Ian yet since we’ve not had a moment alone together all day. He’ll be thrilled though, ye ken?” A dreamy smile crossed Jenny’s face at the mention of her husband.

“Of course he will,” Claire enthused.

“So, will ye and Jamie have another so that this wee bean will have a cousin closer in age then?” she joked.

Whiskey-colored eyes widened at that. “Oh, I don’t think so! Not now anyway,” she snagged a handful of grass from Willa who was about to stick it in her mouth and shot Jenny a look as if to say _See? Now is not the time!_

“Though,” she mumbled, “I’d never say ‘ _never_ ’…”  This time silence reigned a few peaceful moments before she continued. “Did you ever imagine you’d be this lucky?”

“No, not once.” Uncharacteristic tears welled in Jenny’s eyes as she continued. “I’ve a man who loves me, my bairns, my brother is happy and well, I’ve nieces and a nephew.

“And, I dinna ken if ye know this or not, but my brother married an amazing woman. Her name is Claire and I think, but I dinna ken fer sure, that she’s my best friend. See, I’ve never had a best friend before, aside from Ian. But I’m pretty certain that’s what we are.”

Feeling childlike and vulnerable and wonderful all at once, Claire responded with a whispered, “I’ve never had a best friend before either.”

“I think it’s because I was waiting for the right one.”

 

 

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